MARTIN – In each of the last two seasons, UT Martin football has started well.

Cody Sandlin’s field goal with four seconds left at the Liberty Bowl gave the Skyhawks a win over Memphis to start 2012, and the Skyhawks probably would have made the playoffs that year had the 20-team field included 24 teams like it does now.

UT Chattanooga has an impressive football stadium and fan following for an FCS school, and the Mocs were highly touted in the 2013 offseason. But UTM controlled most of last season’s opener in Chattanooga for a 31-21 win.

“When we go out recruiting it’s kind of nice to be able to say ‘Hey they’ve got the aquarium, but tonight we got the win,’ UTM coach Jason Simpson joked after that victory.

Getting another season-opening win will be a much bigger challenge this year at Kentucky, which despite its lack of recent success in the Southeastern Conference still attracts a lot of highly-touted players in Kentucky, Ohio and elsewhere.

A good showing, though, would not just sound good to future UTM recruits but might also help convince the current Skyhawks they are close to doing what’s needed to win the Ohio Valley Conference.

“We’re chasing a championship,” senior linebacker Tony Bell said earlier this summer. “We’ve been so close for the past years we almost can taste it. It’s like they’ve given us a little bit of rag and just taken it away.

“This year we feel like we’ve got to go and take that championship ring, bring that trophy back to Martin and just celebrate as a team.”

Those moments “taken away” from Bell and his teammates linger. Many of the current players were around in 2012, when a one-point overtime loss at Tennessee Tech cost the Skyhawks their shot at the league title with just one more game left.

Last year, turnovers hurt most. UTM lost the ball 33 times last year and took it away 18 times, which led to the Skyhawks being outscored in all four quarters of cumulative games despite outgaining opponents.

The OVC is gaining national respect. Jacksonville State made the quarterfinals last season and brings a lot of top players back, including preseason offensive player of the year DaMarcus James at running back. Anthony Bass leads another likely strong defense at Tennessee State. Eastern Kentucky is usually strong, and even though Eastern Illinois lost its star quarterback, receiver and coach it would be silly to count out the Panthers.

The Skyhawks are confident, if returners match raised expectations and everyone plays with a little more polish, they shouldn’t be counted out either.

UT Martin has not often beaten the Colonels, a traditionally strong team, but the Skyhawks won last year 16-7 in Richmond. This is UTM’s first home OVC game of the year, and a win here is important for conference title contention.